PHOENIX — NCAA Tournament time is coming-out time; the games that put little-known and unknown players on the national map.
The Sweet 16, which begins today, is full of them.
Western Kentucky’s Courtney Lee is near the top of the list, but Davidson’s Stephen Curry is clearly at the top of the mountain. They are two of five breakout stars of the first weekend that college fans are getting a second look at starting tonight. A closer look:
G-F Courtney Lee
Western Kentucky senior
Tourney stats: 22.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.5 apg
Lee’s presence as a Hilltopper is due to hang-ups. On the phone. The senior swingman is originally from Indianapolis, and when he was a freshman at WKU homesickness had him feeling like he needed to be back in Indy. He called his mom constantly, seeking her approval to leave. She refused to get on board with the defection plan. Eventually she started hanging up on her son when he called and talked of leaving.
So he stayed. And now he is NBA material, having averaged 22 points and eight rebounds per game in the tournament.
“His value to our team is really immeasurable,” WKU coach Darrin Horn said. “He’s a guy that, every night we step on the floor, we feel like we have a guy that is going to be as good as anybody that anybody else has.”
Claim to fame: Hitting an eye-popping 67 percent from 3-point range in tourney.
F Joe Alexander
West Virginia junior Tourney stats: 18.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg
When Bob Huggins arrived as the new coach at West Virginia this season, Alexander became his pet project. Alexander always had potential, but it had to be coaxed out of him. Lucky for Huggins, he found a willing student.
“Joe really wants to learn,” Huggins said. “I’ve had several guys that really wanted to be good players that really put the time in and really worked at it. Joe’s right up there with those guys.”
Alexander, a terrific midrange scorer as a forward, has been clutch and is becoming more of an offensive force. He was averaging 15.7 points on Feb. 17. He’s averaged 21.6 points in his last 11 games.
Claim to fame: Deadly midrange jumper, his 22 points and 11 boards led the way in upset of No. 2 Duke.
G Stephen Curry
Davidson sophomore
Tourney stats: 35.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.0 spg
The guard is the media darling of the tournament and rightfully so. The son of former NBA player Dell Curry, Stephen has the same sweet stroke as his father, and then some. It was all on full display as he scored a combined 70 points to lead Davidson to wins over Gonzaga and Georgetown last weekend.
Curry is a nightmare for defenders, who must chase the sophomore around the court and through screens to get a hand in his face. A North Carolina native, Curry wasn’t recruited by any of the in-state schools, or Virginia Tech, where he wanted to attend, just as his dad did.
Claim to fame: A scoring machine, he has averaged 27.5 points — in the second half! — in helping lead his team to Sweet 16.
PG Drew Lavender
Xavier senior
Tourney stats: 15.5 ppg, 5.5 apg
Three years ago, Drew Lavender was an Oklahoma Sooner. The 5-foot-7 speedster was a prized recruit for then-coach Kelvin Sampson but transferred to Xavier to be closer to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Since stepping on the court for the Musketeers in 2006, he has flourished.
“To me, Xavier really fits Drew,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said. “He’s led us to the tournament; he’s helped us advance in the tournament. Not too many have won more than he has.”
Claim to fame: A 5-7, 150-pound veteran leader of a veteran team, his 18 points and nine assists carved up Purdue.
G Michael Flowers
Wisconsin senior
Tourney stats: 12.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg
Defense has a face, and for Wisconsin it’s Flowers. His steal and layup with 27.2 seconds left against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament sent the Badgers to the conference title game. His ability to stay in front of quick guards is his best trait. A set of fast hands helps him grab 1.7 steals per game.
Claim to fame: A defensive rock for a team whose identity lies in its ability to stop opponents.
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
